After the Battle
by Celtic karate
Summary: A little piece that helps bridge the gap between the last 2 chapters of the final book


After the Battle

Harry, Ron and Hermione left the Headmaster's office and trudged up to Gryffindor Tower. Hunger and exhaustion visible in every line and step their bodies made; they slowly trudged up the stairs that seemed just as tired as they were (because they did not move from where they were). Finally they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and found her crying silently into the sleeve of her pink tissue dress; as they approached she looked up at them. When they reached her she opened the door to them without a word.

The room was not empty; everyone who had any affiliation with Gryffindor House was seated in the Common Room. Quietly they handed the three newcomers glasses of Firewhiskey to toast with; Harry, Hermione and Ron quietly raised their glasses and took a sip. Ron and Hermione sat down next Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Percy and George sat together, talking quietly, a little ways away from the rest of their family. Others sat in small groups around the room; some were quiet, absorbing all that had happened to them, others were talking quietly among themselves and still others were dozing in their seats.

Harry looked around the room seeing whose faces were in the room, he noticed that both Ginny and Neville were missing.

"Where is Ginny and Neville?" Harry asked the room at large. Though he really just wanted to know where Ginny was but thought that it would be better to ask about both of them and not earn any of Ron's ire.

"They are in the infirmary getting checked out as is Miss Lovegood. They will join us shortly, Mr. Potter." Professor McGonagall said as she climbed through the portrait hole with a small container and collapseable cups floating in front of her. "However I suggest that everyone get some sleep, even if it is in the middle of the day; if you feel that you are unable to get to sleep I have some potion for a dreamless sleep from Madam Pomfrey. We all need to get some rest before we try to go on from here. If you are in Gryffindor House at the moment, your bed awaits. If there is room others may stay if not; Aberforth and Madam Rosemerta have full room available and the gates will reopen at dawn tomorrow."

Harry gratefully turned to head up the stairs to his four poster bed that was calling his name. Ron, Dean and Seamus followed behind a few minutes later. Ron held a bundle of clothes out to Harry. "These are yours, for tonight and tomorrow, they came from Hermione's bag." Harry nodded his thanks and changed grateful for a change of clothes; his current robes were covered in: dried river muck, dust, dirt, and blood and they were singed from the vault. After he put on the fresh clothes and climbed under the covers and fell asleep. He did not dream.

He did not see Ginny enter the Common Room and look for him.

Ginny watched Harry climb up to bed and waited a few minutes and went up herself. Some of her clothes were still here, nobody moved them, so she changed and also fell asleep. She dreamed of Harry, but they were all good dreams.

In the morning Ginny woke up and was a little confused about why she was at Hogwarts, than she remembered and got up. She went into the Common Room, still in her sleep clothes. Ron and Hermione were curled up together on the couch, dozing. They started as she came down the stairs. Ignoring them she went over to the window to watch the sun rise and saw the gates swinging open to admit all the people who had to sleep in the Village last night (day).

She smiled at her brother and Hermione (well more at Hermione then Ron) and turned to go up the stairs to the Boys' Dormitory without a word to them. She opened the door, the other boys left and then entered. She was glad that the room was empty; well a slightly snoring Harry was still in the room but that was what she wanted. She crossed the room to his bed and sat down. She stared at him while he slept; wanting to wake him up but refraining to give him a little more sleep.

This was the man she loved, for he no longer was a boy, he was a man. His face was unlined and relaxed in his sleep. His shock of untidy black hair was even more mussed from sleep. And though his eyes were closed she could see the beautiful shade of green that they were. She ran a hand through his hair and traced the side of his face. He stirred slightly at her touch and went back to sleep. She again ran her hand along the side of his face. This time she left her hand on his cheek. She traced her thumb across his cheek and he stirred again and woke up.

As soon as Ginny saw Harry's beautiful eyes, she smiled. He smiled back. Ginny dropped one of her hands to Harry's chest to feel his heartbeat. Harry covered Ginny's hand (on his chest) with his and brought his free hand to cup her face.

"How are you?" Harry asked tentatively, afraid that she would blow up at him and start yelling at him; telling him that it was his fault that she lost a brother and his fault that she lost everyone she lost in the battle.

"Physically, I'm in top shape. Mom wanted me to get checked out for any spell damage that didn't show immediately. There was none at all so I came in carrying to-go cups of the dreamless sleep potion for those who were leaving the castle for the village . . ." She trailed off looking at the window, wondering how far away the rest of her family was.

"And other then physically?"

"I'm tired, tired of all the fighting. I am tired of everyone whom I love leave me in anyway. How about you? Being a hero finally go to your head?" She tried to say the last part in a light humorous voice, but she wasn't sure that she got it just right. "I don't think so. Right now I too am tired; I am tired of saying goodbye to those whom I love. I am also tired of fighting."

"Fighting what?"

"Fighting Death Eaters, fighting my friends, fighting the doubts within myself, and finally I am tired of fighting the way I feel to please someone else."

"What do you mean; with that last part? I got everything else." Ginny starts to get her hopes up, this is her chance to be happy and not love him after he leaves her again.

"I mean this." He sat up and looked her right in her eyes. "I figured out who I loved later then I probably should have and as such I did not get to spend more time with her before I had to leave. When I left I broke it off with her; even though my feelings for her had not diminished but rather they had grown. But I knew that if I didn't break it off with her, she and the rest of her family would have been hunted day and night to try and get me to do something, and I would have done whatever they asked of me to save her, including die for her. And yet I promised her brother that I wouldn't lead her around so I didn't break her heart again, but he didn't know that making that promise broke my heart." Here he paused for breath and looked away from his eyes.

"What promise? What brother?" What brother did she need to have a talk with? That was the thought going through her head.

"Ron made me promise not to lead you on because it really cut you up when we broke it off. He made me promise that after he barged in on us on my birthday. By the way, I hope that I am not ruining the mood, but that was the best birthday present I have ever gotten." He looked at her again with a small smile on his face. She returned his smile and moved her hands to where they kept his face in a place where they could see each other's eyes.

They stared at each other for a few long minutes then he decided to just spit it out. He took a very deep breath and finished his speech. "But I am here now, I am not going to 'lead her on' because she doesn't deserve that and she has my heart. Ginny I love you." He dropped his eyes and let her absorb this revelation.

"Thanks for telling me this Harry, but I already knew. I could tell by how you looked at me after everything yesterday." She let go of his face and stood up from the bed and walked over to the window and looked out onto the grounds as she got ready to pour her heart out just as he had. "I love you too, Harry. Always have, and I think that I always will."

He got up from the bed and walked over to her. When he reached the window and Ginny he stopped and wrapped Ginny in his arms and held her tight for what seemed like eternity. Finally he loosened his arms to where they could look at each other. His left arm stayed around her waist pulling her to him while his right hand cupped her cheek and leaned down to kiss her.

She responded to his kiss and shared her own with him. Eventually they needed air and pulled breathlessly apart and rested their foreheads against the other's. Harry raised his wand and cast a few silent spells to give them a few more minutes alone. He kissed her again, slowly this time telling her without words what he had just told her; that he loved her. She responded in kind. This time when they pulled apart he moved to speak again but her hand on his lips stopped him.

"Harry, we have hours, days, and if you play your cards right, years to talk. Let's go talk and start living our life together.

She was right and they did have years.


End file.
